Guard-finger.



A. BBNOIT.

GUARD FINGER.

APPLIOA'I'ION FILED 00m, 1913.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

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THE NORRIS P... zna c0. PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON, D.

AIME BENOIT, 0F RED LAKE FALLS, MINNESOTA, ASSIG-NOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JOHN A. DUFFY, 0F RED LAKE FALLS, MINNESOTA.

GUARD-FINGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 23., Mild.

Application filed Uctober 3, 1913. Serial No. 793,211.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AIME BnNorr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Red Lake Falls, in the county of Red Lake and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Guard-Fingers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to guard fingers adapted to be used upon harvesters, mowers and the like, and it consists in the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a finger of the character indicated of peculiar shape and configuration adapted to separate the standing straw and grass and position the same with relation to the ledger plate in order that it may be readily cut by the sickle blade as the blade reciprocates across the plate.

Another object of the invention is to provide in OOIljUIlCtlOIl with the finger of the character indicated means for holding the rear portion of the sickle blade down in a proper position in the event that the sickle blade should break. This means also prevents the rear portion of the sickle blade from bending in an upward direction and within the guard and subjecting the sickle bar to strain.

With the above stated objects in view the finger includes a slotted body with a ledger plate detachably mounted in the slot. Below the slot the body is provided with side surfaces in synclinal relation to each other and the top portion of the finger above the slot is provided with edge surfaces lying in the same plane as the said side surfaces of the lower portion of the body. Consequently when the stems of grass or straw are encountered by the sides of the finger the said stems are supported by portions of the finger above and below the edges of the ledger plate and in direct contact with the same so that the sickle blade may readily cut the stems as it reciprocates.

in the accompanying drawing:Figure 1 is a side elevation of the guard finger.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. 3 is a front elevation of the same.

The guard finger includes a body 1 which is slotted at 2 in the usual manner. A ledger plate 3 is detachably mounted in the slot 2 in any desired manner. The edges of the plate 3 are provided with serrations and the said edges are located at the edges of the slot 2 and are downwardly inclined. Below the slot 2 the body 1 is provided with flat surfaces 5 which are in synclinal relatioin with respect to each other and above the slot 2 the top portion of the body 1 is provided with similar surfaces 6 which lie in the same plane as those in which the surfaces 5 lie.

As the guard finger moves through the standing grain stems are disposed by the surfaces 5 and 6 at an angle with relation to a horizontal and the said stems are supported against said surfaces above and below the slot 2. Consequently as the sickle blade reciprocates across the ledger plate 3 the stems are cut and there is no whipping action imparted to the heads of the grain during the cutting operation. The stems which are encountered by the sides of the finger and which are restrained against the whipping action will hold the stems which mi ht move between the fingers against suci whipping action.

Having described the invention what is claimed is z- A guard finger provided with a slot and having below the slot side plane surfaces extending from the lower edge of the finger to the lower edge of the slot in synclinal relation to each other, said finger having above the slot other synclinal plane surfaces lying in the same planes as those in which the first mentioned surfaces lie and extending from the upper edge of the slot to the upper side of the finger.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AIME BENOIT.

Witnesses:

W. S. ERICSON, P. F. Toouo'r.

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topical at this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner or Patenta,

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